Chrysanthemum plant named Autumn Eyes

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct variety of Chrysanthemum plant. The new plant is characterized by its flat capitulum form, anemone capitulum type, bronze ray floret color, darker contrasting disc floret color, a diameter across face of capitulum of ca. 3.4 cm, spreading to upright branching pattern with ca. 4.0 breaks after a single pinch, flowering response of 59 to 63 days from the start of short days, and plant height for a 6.5 in. (16.5 cm) pot of about 30-40 cm. with 1-2 applications of B-9 at 2500 ppm.

BACKGROUND

1. The Field of the Invention

This invention relates to Chrysanthemum plants. More particularly, the present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant, botanically known as Dendranthema grandiflora and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name "Autumn Eyes".

2. Background of the New Plant

Autumn Eyes, identified as 86.2494, was originated from a cross made by Jack Van Der Knaap in a controlled breeding program at De Lier, Holland in 1985.

The female parent of Autumn Eyes was an unnamed seedling, and the male parent was Penny Lane (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 6,238).

Autumn Eyes was discovered and selected as one flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross by Jack Van Der Knaap in 1986 in a controlled environment at De Lier, Holland.

The first asexual reproduction of Autumn Eyes was accomplished when vegetative cuttings were taken in 1986 in a controlled environment at De Lier, Holland by technicians working under the direction and supervision of Jack Van Der Knaap.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The basic characteristics which have been repeatedly observed in Autumn Eyes and which, in combination, distinguish this Chrysanthemum plant over related known varieties and its antecedents are:

1. Flat capitulum form.

2. Anemone capitulum type.

3. Bronze ray floret color.

4. Darker contrasting disc floret color.

5. Diameter across face of capitulum ca. 3.4 cm.

6. Branching pattern is spreading to upright with ca. 4.0 breaks after a single pinch.

7. Flowering response is 59 to 63 days from the start of short days.

8. Plant height of a 6.5 in. (16.5 cm) pot is about 30-40 cm. with 1-2 applications of B-9 at 2500 ppm.

Horticultural examination of controlled flowerings of successive plantings has shown that the combination of characteristics and distinctions as herein disclosed for Autumn Eyes are firmly fixed and are retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a photographic print in full color showing typical inflorescence and leaf characteristics of Autumn Eyes grown as a pinched spray pot mum with 5 cuttings in a 6.5 inch (16.5 cm) pot, the colors being depicted as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in a color photograph of this character.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW PLANT

Autumn Eyes has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity, and day length.

The following is a detailed description of Autumn Eyes, with color terminology in accordance with The Royal Horticulture Society Colour Chart, except where general color terms of ordinary dictionary significance are obvious. The following observations, measurements and comparisons were made of plants grown at Nipomo, Calif., in controlled environments. Unrooted cuttings were directly stuck into 6.5 inch (16.5 cm) pots and grown in a controlled environment under the natural temperature and day length prevailing during October to December of 1990.

Classification:

Botanical.--Dendranthema grandiflora cv. Autumn Eyes.

Commercial.--Flat anemone to be grown as a spray pot or cut spray mum.

INFLORESCENCE

A. Capitulum:

Form.--Flat.

Type.--Anemone.

Diameter across face.--ca. 34 mm when fully opened.

B. Corolla of ray florets:

Color (general tonality from a distance of three meters).--Bronze yellow with dark maroon eye.

Color.--Front: Golden yellow 11 A. Back: Pale yellow 11 B.

Shape.--Oblong with rounded to flat tip.

C. Corolla of disc florets:

Color.--Golden 11 A tipped with dark maroon 59 A. Eye is dark maroon 59 A.

D. Reproductive organs:

Androecium.--Present on disc florets only; insignificant.

Gynoecium.--Present on both ray and disc florets; insignificant.

PLANT

A. General appearance:

Height.--When grown in 6.5 in. (16.5 cm) pots with 1-2 applications of B-9, the total plant height including the pot will be approximately 40 cm. When grown as a cut mum, the plant will be 1-1.5 meters high.

Branching pattern.--Upright to spreading with ca. 4.0 breaks after the pinch. As a cut flower the plant is normally grown unpinched, single stem with the top bud removed to form an open spray type form.

B. Foliage

Color (upper surface).--147 A.

Color (lower surface).--147 B.

Shape.--see FIG. 1.

Autumn Eyes can be well distiguished from other commercial Chrysanthemum cultivars, including Dark Eyes (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 712,903, filed Jun. 7, 1991). Definite Eyes (U.S. Plant patent application No. 712,086, filed Jun. 7, 1991), Quiet Eyes (U.S. Plant patent application No. 712,052, filed Jun. 7, 1991), Tara (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 6,313), and Vibrant Eyes (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 712,901, filed Jun. 7, 1991). See in this regard the data presented in Table A hereafter. Also, the blossom coloration of Autumn Eyes can be readily distinguished from Hoof Lane (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 6,299), Main Lane (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 6,300), and Bourbon Street (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 6,777) as described in the respective U.S. Plant patents.

Similar traits to the other above-mentioned Eye varieties are capitulum form and type (with the exception of Quiet Eyes which is a flat daisy type), branching pattern, and the distinctly contrasting center of the disc. However, each Eye variety varies in color of the disc and ray florets, making each a unique and different cultivar.

Similar traits to Tara are capitulum form and type, and breaks/pinch. Autumn Eyes generally has more disc florets per flower, is approximately 4-7 days slowers, has more and shorter and narrower ray florets, and fewer flowers per break than Tara. The coloration of the petals is very different between Tara and Autumn Eyes.

                  TABLE A                                                          ______________________________________                                         Characteristic                                                                          Autumn Eyes Dark Eyes   Definite Eyes                                 ______________________________________                                         capitulum                                                                               flat        flat        flat                                          form                                                                           capitulum                                                                               anemone     anemone     anemone                                       type                                                                           diameter ca. 3.4 cm  ca. 3.5-6.0 cm                                                                             4.0-7.0 cm                                    across face                                                                    branching                                                                               upright     spreading   upright and                                   pattern                          spreading                                     breaks/pinch                                                                            ca. 4.0     4-7         3-5                                           height in 6.5                                                                           30-40 cm    ca. 40 cm   40-52 cm                                      in. (16.5 cm)                                                                  pot with 1-2                                                                   applications                                                                   of B-9                                                                         disc floret                                                                             golden 11 A medium      56 C on the                                   color    tipped with lavender 75 C                                                                              outer petals                                           dark maroon 59                                                                             graduating to                                                                              graduating to a                                        A; eye is dark                                                                             a very dark eye                                                                            dark purple                                            maroon 59 A of 77 A; tube                                                                              eye of 59 A                                                        75 C                                                      no. disc ca. 171     ca. 145     ca. 255                                       florets                                                                        length disc                                                                             ca. 1.0 cm long                                                                            1.0-1.5 cm long                                                                            up to 2 cm long                               florets                                                                        ray floret                                                                              front: golden                                                                              front: 75 C front: 69 D                                   color    yellow 11 A back: 75 C with                                                                            back: some 70 C                                        back: pale  a 77 B stripe                                                      yellow 11 B down the center                                           no. ray  ca. 22      24-27       average of 27.3                               florets                                                                        shape ray                                                                               oblong with oblong with elliptic                                      florets  rounded to flat                                                                            rounded tip                                                        tip                                                                   length ray                                                                              1.0-1.5 cm long                                                                            up to 2.5 cm                                                                               up to 4 cm long                               florets              long                                                      width ray                                                                               0.3-0.5 cm wide                                                                            up to 0.75 cm                                                                              up to 1.0 cm                                  florets              wide        wide                                          no. flowers/                                                                            ca. 9.6     average of 5.16                                                                            average of 5.3                                break                                                                          leaf     front: 147 A                                                                               front: 147 A                                                                               front: 147 A                                  color    back: 147 B back: 147 B back: 147 B                                   leaf length                                                                             ca. 7.5 cm long                                                                            up to 8 cm long                                                                            up to 6 cm long                               leaf width                                                                              ca. 5.0 cm wide                                                                            up to 4.5 cm                                                                               up to 4 cm wide                                                    wide                                                      response time                                                                           8.5 weeks   8.5 weeks   8.5 weeks                                     ______________________________________                                         Characteristic                                                                          Quiet Eyes  Tara        Vibrant Eyes                                  ______________________________________                                         capitulum                                                                               flat        flat        flat fresh;                                   form                             puffy rounded                                                                  old                                           capitulum                                                                               daisy       anemone     anemone                                       type                                                                           diameter 8-10 cm     5.0-6.5 cm  3-4 cm                                        across face                                                                    branching                                                                               spreading   spreading   upright to                                    pattern                          spreading                                     breaks/pinch                                                                            3-4         3-5         4-5                                           height in 6.5                                                                           ca. 40 cm   ca. 37 cm   42-52 cm                                      in. (16.5 cm)                                                                  pot with 1- 2                                                                  applications                                                                   of B-9                                                                         disc floret                                                                             lemon yellow                                                                               lemon yellow                                                                               from 155 D                                    color    1 A graduating                                                                             10 A        graduating                                             to a large              toward a dark                                          green eye of            purple eye of                                          143 A                   77 A                                          no. disc ca. 200     70-120      ca. 125                                       florets                                                                        length disc                                                                             1.3 cm long up to 1.5 cm                                                                               ca. 1 cm long                                 florets              long                                                      ray floret                                                                              front: 75 B front: 155 A                                                                               light pink to                                 color    back: 75 D  back: 155 D white;                                                                         front: 155 A                                                                   back: 155 B                                                                    bright green                                                                   ovary                                         no. ray  20-24       15-17       ca. 22                                        florets                                                                        shape ray                                                                               oblong      elliptic    oval with                                     florets                          rounded tip                                   length ray                                                                              up to 4 cm long                                                                            up to 3 cm long                                                                            up to 1.7 cm                                  florets                          long                                          width ray                                                                               up to 1.5 cm                                                                               up to 1 cm wide                                                                            up to 0.5 cm                                  florets  wide                    wide                                          no. flowers/                                                                            ca. 5.2     ca. 11.3    ca. 8.4                                       break                                                                          leaf color                                                                              front: 147 A                                                                               front: 147 A                                                                               front: 147 A                                           back: 147 B back: 147 B back: 147 B                                   leaf length                                                                             up to 10 cm up to 9 cm long                                                                            up to 5.0 cm                                           long                    long                                          leaf width                                                                              up to 5.5 cm                                                                               up to 5 cm wide                                                                            up to 3.0 cm                                           wide                    wide                                          response time                                                                           8.2 weeks   8.0 weeks   8.0 weeks                                     ______________________________________                                     

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Chrysanthemum plant, substantially as herein described and illustrated. 